​Quebec and the Queen: A Complicated Web of Emotions

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​Quebec and the Queen: A Complicated Web of Emotions

SOPHIE ANABELLE SOMÉ Staff Writer

On September 8, Queen Elizabeth II passed away after 70 years on the throne. Her death has generated different emotions and reactions all over the world and people are grieving the late monarch in their unique ways. Memorials, moments of silence, and condolences are sent to the royal family in the glooming grief of Queen Elizabeth II. While some people found her presence unnecessary and figurative, the Queen’s role in the United Kingdom had been to pose as a symbol of unity and national identity.

The symbol of power that the monarchy represents goes far back in time where the United Kingdom possessed dozens of colonies all over the world. Those colonies were exploited by the British empire to build a healthy nation and expand their territories all over the world. Barbados, Jamaica, Nigeria, New Zealand, and Canada are only a few of the 57 colonies that the British empire possessed. Today, Barbados, Jamaica, Nigeria and New Zealand have gained their total independence from Britain. Canada is one the few remaining countries that is still overseen by the British crown and people are questioning the importance of the monarchy in our political system. In a general sense, doesn’t it constitute a permanent reminder of the massacres and abuses committed by the British empire in its own colonies? More specifically, in

Canada, how is the population feeling about the presence of the monarchy in their constitution? And how much space in society should be allotted to the monarchy and to the late queen Elizabeth II?

Photo VIA CTV NEWS

In Quebec, the answers are complicated. In the province the monarchy has ups and downs in the eyes of the population and its growing nationalist wave. The Queen can be seen as a threat to democracy in a wave and attempt to make the province an independent nation. The monarchy is a reminder of the Conquest and the takeover of the New France, a francophone nation, by the British kingdom. For instance, in October 1974, the Queen’s visit in Quebec City was accompanied by booing separatists and pro-independence protesters. On the other hand, when the Queen made her stop in Charlottetown, she was greeted with a much warmer welcome. The police’s use of force contributed to naming this event “Truncheon Saturday” or “Le Samedi de la Matraque” in French.

According to Global News, current premier François Legault issued a statement regarding the Queen’s passing: “Queen Elizabeth marked history for 70 years. She had a sense of duty to the public.” Reported on Cult MTL, Montreal’s mayor, Valerie Plante issued a similar statement saying: “Elizabeth II dedicated her life to public service and showed a great sense of duty during her reign”.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, the leader of the Parti Québécois, took a different side in a Global News interview on September 8: “Legault should not treat the Queen of England as a head of state in Quebec, nor give credibility to an illegitimate colonial regime in Quebec”. According to M. Plamondon, the Queen’s position as a head of state shouldn’t be acknowledged nor approved in the province.

Today, Barbados, Jamaica, Nigeria and New Zealand have gained their total independence from Britain. Canada is one the few remaining countries that is still overseen by the British crown and people are questioning the importance of the monarchy in our political system.

As we move outside of Quebec, reactions can differ largely. Reported in the CBC newspaper, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an emotional and personal speech following the Queen’s death: “In a complicated world, her steady grace and resolve brought comfort and strength to us all”. On September 13, M. Trudeau announced a national holiday for the funeral of the Queen. As reported by the Global News, while provinces are left with the choice to declare a holiday on September 19, M. Legault declared that it will be a “day of commemoration, but not a holiday in the province”. Reasons for his choice include his considerations for students and parents that would have to put off work for their children.

Now a death remains a tragic and saddening event, but in the case of the Queen, her passing will revive national and individual questions about the place of the monarchy. Whether one will mourn or celebrate the passing of the Queen, many agree that she was an influential figure in society. p